Advancing Gender Equity Through The Law

On October 22, 2025, the Minnesota Supreme Court issued a historic, unanimous decision in Cooper v. USA Powerlifting. This ruling not only powerfully asserted the rights of transgender athletes to fully participate in sports, it explicitly affirmed transgender Minnesotans’ dignity and place in our state. We invited community members to a briefing breaking down this landmark decision and its impact.

Minnesota has been a North Star for progress. We’ve defended abortion access, protected trans lives, and expanded care when other states did the opposite. But with Trump back in the White House and attacks on equality escalating, we’re seeing how fast progress can be undone.

Fifteen years ago, Gender Justice was founded on a vision that is both simple and radical: that no one’s life should be limited by their gender. That your body, your identity, or your biology should never determine your worth or your rights.

That vision hasn’t changed, but the landscape around us has. We are no longer facing isolated policy fights or legal setbacks. We are living through the rise of a coordinated, authoritarian movement—rooted in White Christian Nationalism—that is seizing control of who belongs to our democracy, who holds power, and who gets to live freely and safely.